Daily Devotion 25 December 2025

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a Saviour has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord”. Luke 2: 8-11

READING: Luke 2: 8-11

Good News of Great Joy!

I have always been fascinated by the Christmas story as I’m sure many of you are too. More so I’m deeply moved by the story of shepherds who were laying watch over their flock at night. For these shepherds what started out as just another ordinary night, another ordinary day on the job, ended in the most spectacular encounter that would change their lives forever.

We often over romanticise the story of the shepherds as if the job they were doing were so glamorous. The opposite is true. You see, shepherds were not very high on the Jewish social ladder. Judaism, by its very nature, is a very structured religious system and jobs were listed in the same manner. From the most prominent and high paying jobs, reserved for the elite, to the least prominent and lowest paying jobs, reserved for poor and social outcasts. The latter applied to the shepherds, because it’s not a job anyone would lining up for out of choice.

Jewish society were naturally sceptical of shepherds because the very nature of their job was a solitary life, it was regarded that there was great opportunity for thieving and cheating to occur. One of the commentaries referred to a law that forbid anyone from buying wool or milk from a shepherd because in all likelihood they were probably stolen. Not only was the job of the shepherd despised by society, but because of the job, the shepherd was also despised.

Yet it was the shepherds who received heavens first birth announcement. God Himself had come to earth, and it was the despised and rejected of society who first received the news that the Messiah had come. When we read Luke 2, we see the message being given, not to those in positions of power and prominence (the elites), not in a palace or synagogue, but out in a field, to men whom society would rather not think about.

The message that the angel brought was to be for all the people. The good news of great joy is for all people. The good news is for the sinner, as well as for the saint. The good news is for us filling up the pews very Sunday, but also to for those who doesn't know what a pew is. Good News of Great Joy for us all.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, that you the Good News of the birth of your son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. May the Good News of his birth continue to fill us with Great Joy. Amen